Planning a party but need to keep the costs down? Parties are a fantastic opportunity to get family and friends together for a celebration filled with music, dancing and laughter - but they don’t need to cost a fortune. With a bit of creativity, careful preparation and a few favours thrown in, party planning on a budget needn’t be a forgettable experience.

We’ve come up with some great ideas on how to organise a fun-filled party on a budget that your guests will be talking about long after the last glasses have been cleared away.

Getting started – create your party budget

Setting out all the costs at the beginning and sticking to your budget really helps when party planning on a budget. It’s a good idea to break down the main costs for your celebration – food, drink, entertainment and decorations – and decide which you want to prioritise most. Once you’ve got your core costs such as food and drink covered, you can splash out on entertainment or decorations to create a dazzling party venue your guests will love.

Save money on food and drink

If you’re planning a formal three course meal, one easy way to keep costs down is simply to ask friends to bring a dish along with them. Starters such as bruschetta or stuffed peppers are stylish and affordable and if friends bring along a dessert you can splash out a little more on the main course. Alternatively, serving up tasty nibbles or buffet food will cost a lot less and helps keep the party more relaxed, too. Buying in bulk from supermarkets can save a huge amount of money and it’s worth keeping an eye out for special offers in the run-up to the big day.

You can offer stylish drinks on a budget without having to break the bank.   Try cava or prosecco served with a single raspberry, or make your own punch. Most supermarkets offer great deals when buying wine or beer in bulk, and some retailers offer sale or return so you can take back any unwanted drinks after the party is over – a real bonus of party planning on a budget.

Decorate your party venue in style

This is where the fun really begins! Well-chosen decorations can transform any space into a fabulous party venue to get the celebrations started. For affordable table decorations, why not scatter sparkling loose confetti in gold or silver? Parties are all about wow moments, so use Glitter Cannons to celebrate in style and ask guests to fire them during a special speech, birthday song or first dance.

Go digital with your invitations

Sending invitations online saves time as well as money. You can keep it personal by creating your own design using online templates. As well as sending out the invites, ask guests to choose their favourite song for your music playlist to help plan the party entertainment.

A little help from your friends

Do you know any musicians, DJs or photographers? Don’t be afraid to call in favours to help keep costs down. Live music or a disco is perfect entertainment for your party and if you know a photographer, why not create your own photo booth with pictures sent to guests after the event as a special memento?

Finally, the most important tip of all – don’t forget to enjoy every moment! We hope these ideas for party planning on a budget help to create a fabulous celebration to remember.